Do Cape Verdean passport holders need a visa for the United Kingdom?
By Saurabh Pathare · Travel Writer, Tripmojo · Updated · Reviewed by Simran Raheja
Yes, on a Cape Verdean passport. Cape Verde is a visa national country under the UK Immigration Rules, listed at entry 18 of Appendix Visitor, so a Standard Visitor visa is required before travelling. It costs 135 pounds for six months and needs biometrics given in person. The cheaper electronic travel authorisation is not available to Cape Verdean passport holders.
Quick facts
Visa required- Visa required
- Yes, a Standard Visitor visa
- Cost
- GBP 135 for the six-month visitor visa
- Maximum stay
- Up to 6 months per visit
- ETA eligible
- No, Cape Verde is a visa national country
- Apply from
- Online, up to 3 months before you travel
- Biometrics
- Fingerprints and photograph, in person
Entry requirements
- A Cape Verdean passport valid for the whole of your stay, with a blank page for the visa.
- An approved Standard Visitor visa obtained before travel. There is no visa on arrival in the UK.
- Evidence that you will leave at the end of the visit and can support yourself without working or claiming public funds.
- Details of where you will stay, and an invitation letter if you are visiting family.
- Biometrics given in person at a visa application centre.
How to apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa
Apply online through gov.uk, which is the only official route. You can apply from three months before you intend to travel, and applying early is sensible because appointment availability rather than the decision usually sets the timeline.
After paying the 135 pound fee, book an appointment at a visa application centre to give fingerprints and a photograph and to submit supporting documents.
If you visit regularly, price the long-term options rather than repeating this. A two-year visitor visa costs 506 pounds and still allows six months per visit, so it pays for itself against four separate applications.
Good to know
- Check which passport you are travelling on before you pay for anything, because on this route a great many people have a choice. Cape Verde’s ties to Portugal mean dual nationality is common, and a Portuguese passport is not on the UK visa national list at all. If you hold one, you are in the ETA population rather than the visa population, and the difference is 20 pounds and a few minutes against 135 pounds and a trip to a visa application centre. The rules follow the document you present, not where you were born.
- The electronic travel authorisation is the most expensive misunderstanding available here. It costs 20 pounds and is granted quickly, but it exists only for people who do not need a visa. Buying one on a Cape Verdean passport wastes the fee and leaves you with no valid permission at the gate.
- A visitor visa does not permit work of any kind, and that includes short paid engagements that feel informal, such as performing at a family event or picking up cash work while staying with relatives. The visit route covers tourism, family visits, business meetings and short courses, and nothing that pays you.
Frequently asked questions
Do Cape Verdeans need a visa for the UK?
Yes. Cape Verde is listed as a visa national country in Appendix Visitor of the UK Immigration Rules, so a Standard Visitor visa is required before travelling.
How much is a UK visitor visa for Cape Verdean citizens?
The standard six-month visitor visa costs 135 pounds. A two-year long-term visitor visa costs 506 pounds and allows stays of up to six months per visit.
Can Cape Verdeans travel to the UK with an ETA?
No. The ETA is only for nationalities that do not need a visa. Cape Verdean passport holders must apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead.
What if I also hold a Portuguese passport?
Then the answer changes. Portugal is not on the UK visa national list, so travelling on that passport puts you in the ETA route rather than the visa route. The requirement follows the document you present.
How long can Cape Verdeans stay in the UK on a visitor visa?
Up to six months per visit. The visa does not allow you to work or to claim public funds.
Related pages
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on .
- UK Immigration Rules — Appendix Visitor: Visa national list. Cape Verde is entry 18 (gov.uk). Read 2026-08-17.
- UK Immigration Rules — Appendix Visitor: Visa national list. Portugal is absent from the list. Read 2026-08-17.
- UK Home Office — Standard Visitor visa, fees and length of stay (gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa)
- UK Home Office — Get an electronic travel authorisation to visit the UK: "An ETA costs £20" (gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta). Read 2026-08-17.
Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.
